Meal with the Gourmet
by gary25566
Summary: Koishi Komeiji meets a young boy who teaches her the meaning of a good meal.
1. Prolouge

"**Wherever you go, go with all your heart."  
>~William Shakespeare<strong>

**Prologue**

Telepathy is a unique ability to many, but a burden to some since not many wants to hear the deep thoughts of others around them. Satori, a mountain-dwelling youkai possess this gift. Two such beings lived underground in Gensokyo, a place sealed off from our increasingly scientific and skeptical world, a place that is still in the Feudal age. The two were very close sisters, with the older accepting herself as being special, while the younger wishes to never been born with such power. Her desire to be freed from other thoughts led her to closing her mind-reading device, her Third Eye which is a visible _heart_ positioned over her real heart, connected to external arteries that are wrapped around her torso and attached to each of her ankles. Sealing it granted her the gift of subconscious and with that; she was happy, too _happy._ She became another person. That personality made many around her to no longer feel her presence since she hidden her own _heart_, her entire existence is concealed with her new found power. But she became lonely. Her sister was worried of her new personality instead of her past self, thus gotten some pets to play with her sibling, in hope she will open her heart and accept others. It worked, but only for a while till she heard news that her sister and pets were defeated from the people of the outside world. She found them to be interesting creatures and decided to go on an adventure to the outer realm. She sneaked past various youkai during her journey, since her ability made her unnoticeable to many. Soon, she met a human, but she was not one of the duos who entered the underground. Still, a human she had never met made her more interested, as well as regretting herself for shutting her Third Eye. She thought to herself,

"I'll start by inviting her underground to the Palace of the Earth Spirits.  
>I wonder what kind of fight she had with my sister, Okuu, and Orin.<br>I wonder what kind of youkai she's fought with.  
>I want to hear her endless stories."<p>

Soon after her encountered with the green-haired miko however, she met the duo, and decided to have a battle not for vengeance for her sister, but more for wanting to determine if she made the right choice in running away from others.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 Tamago and Natt****ō (Egg omelette and fermented soybeans)**

It was another morning. His room in his remote cottage was lit up by the rising sun from the West instead of the East, since he lived in Gensokyo. He woke up and yawned, and soon realized it might be a _peaceful_ today for once, despite the occasion. He walked into the kitchen and prepares himself a large breakfast, since his appetite was huge, as well as he had too much leftovers in the past week. He scratched his bronze hair for a while, pondering and decided to improvise with the remaining ingredients, using his knowledge of various cuisines he read during his time in his neighbour's library. The delicacies he learnt made him interested and he experimented various times in the past, all of them were success. Still only few tried his dishes, but he was at least happy that some of his friends praised his skills.

The meal has been cooked, and he can't wait to savour his work. He set the dishes on his dining table and sat down with a satisfied smile on his face. However as soon as he picked up his chopsticks, he realized something was amiss. He then spoke, "Miss, what do you think of the Tamago?"

"Delicious," replied the girl. "But it needs a pinch of salt."

"Really?" asked the boy. He picked up a bit of the egg omelette and tasted it himself. He was surprised the girl was correct after he slowly chews it. "Looks likes you were right."

"Your Nattō however is the opposite, way too much soy sauce," the girl criticised another of his dish with her delicate voice and smile.

The boy tasted the beans, and smiled back at her with reply, "My bad, looks like my taste buds did not energize properly this morning." He put down his chopsticks and wiped his face and asked, "Still, I don't think you should review before introduction."

The girl swallowed some rice before gently greeting, "Komeiji Koishi." She bowed slightly and also asked, "And may I know the cook's name?"

"Sakai Tetsuya," the boy replied with a smile as he gazed upon her face. "And you have a rice grain on your _gourmet's_ lower lip." 

Note: All character names are inverted, meaning in English it is Koishi Komeiji, but in Japanese, it is Komeiji Koishi. Komeiji is her family name, while Koishi is her nickname. This system can be seen in anime, with the English dubbed and original respectively.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Tea**

"Then do you mind me addressing you as Sakai-kun?" asked the girl as wiped off the embarrassing grain of rice.

Tetsuya started clearing up the dishes and replied, "It would be an honour from a Satori." He smiled at her as he proceeded to the kitchen sink.

Koishi was surprised not only that he knew she was a youkai, however her species identity as the mind-reading creature was instantly revealed by a mere human. She kindly questioned, "What gave it away, was it the eye?"

The boy ignored her as he could only hear the sound of dishes being washed with the water transported from the mountain river.

"Please tell me how you found out!" The girl asked again in a childish manner.  
>The boy turned and looked at her, gently asking, "Do you want cake?"<p>

The girl felt rejected as an interrogator, and yet was accepted as a guest. She then followed the change in subject and replied, "Well perhaps something light like…"

"Cheesecake with a hint of mint and chocolate shavings at the top?" Tetsuya interrupted her as he finished doing the dishes.

"Now I'm really curious, how did you know all these answers?" Koishi impatiently asked before he got a chance to interrupt her again.

"Answers…" Tetsuya replied as he wiped his hand and starts making some tea for his guest. "Now should I explain?"

Koishi wished she could read his mind, but that was the price of fleeing. Her eagerness to solve this mystery really got on her nerve in the inside, but she still remains carefree on the outside. The boy then walks to her while waiting for the water to boil. He then lowered himself to her height and whispered. "Do you really want to know?"

The girl could tell he was testing her if she was really cheerful. She wondered if he could read her mind, but her ability should prevent anyone, even her sister from looking into her. She decided to play along and nodded her head, signalling a yes.

"Double confirmed?"

She nodded her head again, this time being extremely impatient.

Tetsuya then move his head to her left ear slowly, whispering a few words that coincidentally, the water started to boil.

She never anticipated his ability would be that great, or even cooler that her pet's nuclear fusion power. But he sighed and replied, "But this gift is only passive and automatic if I or my friends were in any danger, and only during random times do I have control of this strange power."

Koishi's eyes of excitement soon faded back to normal as his disappointment gives off a negative atmosphere. Still, she was curious if he was really human, so as he walked backs into the kitchen to get the water, she blocked her path to prevent him from avoiding her further questions. "Miss Komeiji, is there anything else?" he asked.

She questioned his species, and he replied, "I'm without a doubt human, like my friend who lives in that _huge_ mansion outside."

Koishi knew he was referring to the Scarlet Devil Mansion she passed by just now before entering his cottage a few miles later. Still she finds him the most interesting of everyone she passed by despite being human. Thus she asked politely, "Care showing me around Gensokyo, Sakai-kun?"

Tetsuya passed her a cup of tea and replied, "Well, I unfortunately made plans for today, but I guess I can reschedule. How about this, you finished this cup of tea while I get dressed?"

She nodded, but more gentler than the previous time, stating she was no longer mad at him, and kindly accepted his offer as she giggled about not noticing he was still in his pyjamas. She began taking sips from his homemade Jasmine Green Tea as he went back into his room, closing the door behind him slowly and asked, "Is this your doing?"

Soon, a portal appeared, with the woman that helped create Gensokyo rising from it. She looked really young despite her age; however her knowledge contradicts her appearance. She replied as she hid her mouth behind her priceless paper fan, "Nope, this is a Moriya Shrine Conspiracy."


End file.
